Internal-combustion engine



y 21, 1929- o. E. HUNT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 15, 1923 Patented May 21, 1929.

an arts when Price.

ORMOND E. HUNT, OF DETROIT, MIGI-IIG-AN, ASSIGNOE TC GENERAL MGTOBS CQRPO- RATIGN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

INTEBNAL-GGMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed December 15, 1923. Serial No. 680,922.

This invention relates to oiling systems, and is illustrated as embodied in an internal combustion engine designed for use in a motor vehicle.

An object of the invention is to secure a simple and reliable oiling system which positively delivers the oil to the various parts requiring lubrication.

Other objects are to secure a slow Oil onculation to promote sedimentation, to make the oil supply independent otchanges in the grade over which the vehicle is moving, and to increase the supply or oil as the motor speed increases.

Having these objects in view, the invention contemplates flowing the oil in substantially continuous streams through pipes discharging above the crankshaft bearings, preferably in such a manner that it overflows from the hearings to transverse splash troughs below the crankshatt. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the 011 is delivered from a distributor fitting carried by one side of the crankcase above the crankshaft, through downwardly inclined pipes discharging above oil pockets formed on the upper sides of the crankshaft bearings and communicating withthe surfaces of the bearings which are in engagement with the crankshaft. The downward inclination of these pipes is sufficient to oiiset any change in the grade over which the vehicle moves, and the pipes are arranged to discharge respectively at the front and rear of the engine, so that oil will alwz s downwardly from one or the other pipe, or both pipes, into the splash troughs.

its one desirable manner of (:lclivering oil to the above described lubricating system or its equivalent, the invention conten'lplates providing an oil pump in an oil reservoir, which may conveniently be formed in the lower part of the crankcase, which pump is driven by an upwardly inclined driveshait passing through a transverse partition in which the splash troughs are formed, and which drive-shatt is geared at its upper end to the camshaft. If desired, a suitable accessory device such as a timer may be con nected to the upper part of the drive-shaft to be operated thereby. Preferably the pump acts rather slowly, and the distributing pipes are of comparatively large diameter, so that the oil has the desired low rate of circulation.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel combinations of parts and desirable particular c mstructions, will be apparent from the following description of one illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal vertical section, showing an internal combustion engine on:- bodying my novel oiling system;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the engine in transverse vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line of Fig. 1 showing one oi the oil pockets;

Fig. at is a top plan view of the horizontal partition or baffle plate in which the splash troughs are formed; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view on alarge scale of the distributor fitting which communicates with the oil delivery pipes.

In the illustrative arrangement, the invention is embodied in an internal combustion engine having a cylinder block or cylinder blocks 10 supported on a crankcase having a cast upper portion 12 and a sheet metal lower portion 14, shown as being formedas its bottom an oil reservoir having surge plates 16 and a drain plug 18. A crankshaft 20 is supported in bearings 22, 2'1, and 26 in the crankcase, the crankshaft being provided in the usual manner with connecting rods 28 shown being provided with de pending fingers or clippers 30 or equivalent devices for splashing up oil.

immediately below the crankshaft there is arranged a horizontal partition or baffle plate shown in plan in Fig. l and which is provided with pressed trai'isverse llOllZOllL-Ell splash troughs arranged to hold oil to be splashed up by fingers 30. The partition is also provided with openings 36 through which surplus oil may drain back into the reservoir in the bottom oi the crankcase, and with a large central opening 38 to receive the drive-shaft oi": the oil pump, and to permit of bodily inserting the pump in assembling the engine.

Oil is forced from the reservoir in the bottom of the crankcase by a pump loof any desired form, but preferably a pump which operates at a comparatively low speed, through a connection i2 to a distributor fitting 44 supported on the side of the crankllO case above the'crankshaft. The fitting 44 is provided with a pipe or spout 4L6, shown as being formed integral with the fitting, and which delivers a stream of oil into an oil pocket 4:8 formed in the topof the center crankshaft bearing 24. The pocket is proand 60 formed in the upper parts of the front and rear crankshaft bearings 22and 26, each of these 011 pockets being provided with an opening 62 communicating with the surface r of the bearing which engages the crankshaft.

The oil pocket 60 is shown in vertical section in Fig. 3. The bearing 26 is provided wlth a drain passage 64 to return surplus 011 from the bearing past the edge of port on 14 onto the partition 32, where it flows into the splash troughs 34 from which troughs it overflows through the openings 36 back into the reservoir. i i

The front bearing 22 and the center bearing 24 areialso so arranged that surplus oil drains back onto the partition 32, the oil from the bearing Qflowing directly onto the partition and the oil from the bearing 22 being directed back onto the partition by'the lower part 66 of the usual rear portion 68 of the timing gear housing, which is integral with the upper part of the crankcase and which cooperates with a removable front cap to enclose the timing gears.

Pipes 54L and 56 are inclined at a sufficient angle to practically offset. any grade the vehicle may be operating on, so that there will be no failure to lubricate any one of the bearings even inascending or. descending a steep grade. Since one of these pipes discharges at the front of the engine and the other at'the rear, oil will always flow from one ofthem, or from both of the1n,over plate 32 into troughs 34. Pipes 54 and 56, and. also the other connections, are of compara fingers 3O splash up more oil than at low speeds thus providing the desired increase in lubrication. f

The pump 40 is driven by an upwardly inclined drive-shaft 70 provided, with a sleeve 72forming a supportand bearing-and a housing therefor, and also extended to forin'the top of the pump housing (Fig. 2)."

The upper portion '12 of the'crankcase is "formed with an elongated cylindrical guide portion or recess 79 within the lower portion The fitting 44 is'also of which sleeve 72 is secured by any preferred fastening devices, not shown. Tlhe upper portion of the recess is slotted to permit engagement of worm 74 on the cam shaft 76 withworm wheel 78 on shaft 70. If desired, another accessory: device, such as a timer 80, maybe supported on the-top of the crankcase and driven by the upper end. of the drive shaft- TO. .lVith this construcs t-ion the auxiliary shaft is securely mounted in position and is provided with large bearing surfaces insuring satisfactory performance over a long period ottime. At the same time the casting of the upper portion of the crankcase is greatly simplified.

From the foregoing description, it will. be clear that by the use of comparatively few parts of a form which can be maimfaetured at a minimum expense I have provided means for positivelyifeeding oil to most of the parts of the engine which require lubrication, and atthe same time securing 'a' constant supply of fresh oil to the splash troughs 34;, which supply builds up as the engine speed increases, and from which'the oil is splashed up by the connecting rodsor equivalent means in order to lubricate the other moving parts of the engine. Moreover, the oil supply is practically independent of the grade, and the circulation is comparatively slow without reducing the quantity of oil delivered.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention hasbeen described in detail, it is notmy intention tolimit its scope to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms'of the appended claims. r

I claim:

1. An internal. combustion engine comprising, in combination,a crankcase having a lower oil reservoir portion and a partition above said portion formed with transverse splash. troughs in position. to cooperate with the cranks, bearings in the crankcasaand means for forcing oil from the reservoir pertion and freely pouring, it in substantial y surfaces" passing directly over the outer surface ot the bearings on to the splash troughs,

said partition being apertured to permit the excess oil to drain back into the reservoir. 7

2. An internal combustion engine coinprisingin combination,v a crankcase having a lower portion forming an oil reservoir, a .bafiie partition above the reservoir formed with transverse splash troughs in position uous stream of oil on to the bearings, the.

surplus oil unable to find access to the'beartein limits of angular tilt oi inc; surfaces passing directly on to the p:ur tition for supplying oil to the splash trou 3. In the combination as lined by inn aid bearing-v into which oil A eely poured by said connections from ich oil is discharged to the bearings and overflows onto the partition.

4:. In the construction as deti l by claim 2, said connections comprising an elevated distributing device and downwardly inclined conduits leading from said distributing device to points adjacent said bearings, the in clinations of the conduits being such as to insure even distribution of oil within certhe engine.

5. An internal combustion engine coinn'ising a crankcase, a crank shaft in the crankcase, fixed hearings for the shaft, a distributor in the crankcase iii-ranged above the crank shaft, downwardly inclined subbmtially unrestricted conduits leading itroni said distributor to the crank shaft bearings, the crankcase serving as a reservoir for lubricant, and a pump for supplying lubricant to the distributor from the reservoir, said lubricant being freely poured from said conduits on the bearings under substantially its own head,

(3. internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a crankshaft, bearings therefor, each oi which bearings is formed with an upper oil pocket communicating; with the surface which engages the cranks iatt, downwardly inclined pipes each arranged to freely pour oil into one of the oil pockets, said pipes being in communication with each other above their discharge ends, and means for directing oil through said pipes to lubricate the crankshaft bearings, the inclination of said pipes being such to permit gravity flow thercthrough to the pockets in all of the inclined positions which the engine assumes in use.

7. An internal combustion engine comprisinc', in combination, a crankshaft, bearings tlun-eior, each of which bearings is termed with an upper oil receiving pocket comnuinicating with the surface of the hearing which (-siiga 'es the crenkshai't, adistributor fitting inounced e substantial distance above the pockets, u pipe connected to the fitting for each of the bearings and inclined downmirdly in such a manner as to freely pour oil into the correspondin oil pocket, whatever be the inclination of the car, and means tor for oil to said fitting whence it is dischar ed through the pipes to the pockets.

8. fin internal combustion engine com- "ising, in combination, a crankcase having T'm'er oil reservoir portion, a crankshaft having bee rings supported in the crankcase, e horizontal partition above the oil reservoir portion of the crankcase which is provided with transverse splash troughs, a distributor fitting supported on one side of the 2, reservoirs above each of crzu'ikcasc above the crankshaft, downwardly inclined pipes from the distributor fitting for freely pouring oil over the crankshaft bearings, the excess oil unable to find access to the bearing surfaces overflowing into the splash troughs oil pump in the reservoir portion of the crankcase and a connection tl'ierefroln to said distributor fitting.

9. An internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase serving as a lubricant reservoir, a crankshaft in the crankcase, bearings for the crankshaft, pockets above the bearings, passages leading from the pockets to the bearing surfaces to convey lubricant thereto, splash troughs in said crankcase cooperating with the :ranks and arranged to receive the overdlow oil from said pockets, an oil pump, conduits leading from the pump to the pockets and discharging oil freely thercinto, and means for driving the oil pump from the engine so that as the engine speed increases the pump will supply a greatr quantity of oil to the pockets and a greater quantity of oil will over-flow from the pockets into the splash troughs so that increased splash lubrication is obtained at the higher speeds.

10. An internal combustion engine having a crankcase serving as a lubricant reservoir, :1 crankshaft in the crankcase, bearings for the crankshaft, pockets above the bearings, passages leading from the pockets to the bearing surfaces to convey lubricant thereto, splash troughs in said crankcase cooperating with the cranks and arranged to receive oil over-flowing from said pockets, an oil pump, a distributor above the pockets, :2 conduit supplying oil from the pump to the distributor, and. downwardly inclined conduits leading from the distributor to the pockets, the inclination of said conduits be ing such insure flow of oil to each of s id pockets throughout the range of inetion of the engine in use.

An internal combustion engine having a craul'ccase ser ing as a lubricant reservoir, :1 crankshaft in the crankcase, bearings for the crankshaft, pockets above the bearings, passages leading from the pockets to the bearing surfaces to convey lubricant thereto, splash troughs in said crankcase c0opersting with the cranks and arranged to receive oil over-flowing from said pockets, on oil pump, a distributor above the pockets, a conduit supplying oil from the pump to the distribirtor, downwardly inclined conduits of relatively large cross section leading from the dis 'ibutor to the pockets, said pump bedesigned to supply oil under relatively slight pressure to said distributor, and sold inclined conduits being of sufficiently large cross section so that oil is supplied to said bearings from said distributor substantally by gravity action, and means for driving the pump from the engine whereby the quantity of oil supplied'th'e pockets and the splash troughs by over-flow from the pockets increases With the engine speed.

12. Aiiqinternal combustion engine having a crankshaft, a crankcase, splash troughs in which the cranks dip, an oil pump driven from the engine, a distributor arranged above the troughs, a conduit for connectingthe pump and the distributor for supplying ture.

ORMOND E. HUNT.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa-- 

